Right on the edge

If you ever decide to start visiting a few of the state highpoints, something you will begin to notice real quickly is that many of them are real close to a state line. It makes sense, of course, if you think about it; mountain ranges slowly increase in height from one side to the other, and when a state line cuts through a range, it is likely that a states highest point will be right near that border.

Such is the case with Black Mountain, the highest point in Kentucky. If you approach the mountain from the Kentucky side, as opposed to the Virginia side, you will see a sign that reads, "Entering Virginia" about 300 yards before you see a sign that reads, "Crossing Black Mountain, Kentucky's highest point." Although this makes very little sense initially, what happens is that you park your vehicle at the trail head, and walk back into Kentucky to visit the highpoint. It is that close to the border.

When I first realized this, I thought that I might be able to complete two highpoints in one. This, however, is not the case. As the Appalachians move into Virginia, they increase in height to form Mount Rogers, which is about 1,600 feet higher than Black Mountain.